The sound of frantic knocking echoed through the house. Nacht, still catching his breath, gently laid Mav on the floor and hurried to the door. When he opened it, the village chief stood there, his face etched with concern.

“What happened? I heard loud noises coming from inside,” the chief asked, his voice laced with worry.

Nacht stepped aside, revealing Mav lying unconscious on the floor. The chief’s eyes widened as he took in the sight.

“Mav… he started acting strange,” Nacht began, his voice wavering slightly. “He insisted I knock him out so he could recover his mana faster. I tried to reason with him, but he wouldn’t stop. He attacked me, Chief. I didn’t know what else to do. I was afraid he’d hurt himself even more, so I did it. I knocked him out.”

The chief frowned, his gaze shifting between Nacht and Mav. “I see,” he said quietly. “The stress must’ve overwhelmed him. We can’t blame the boy; this is an incredibly distressing situation, especially for someone as young as he is.”

Nacht looked down, guilt gnawing at him. “I just… I didn’t know what else to do. I hesitated, Chief, but… I didn’t want to hurt him more by letting him go on like that.”

The chief placed a hand on Nacht’s shoulder, his voice softening. “You did what you had to. Now, let’s make sure he’s comfortable. Go fetch another pillow and a blanket. We can’t leave him lying on the floor like this.”

Nacht nodded, hurrying to get the items. As he moved through the house, his mind raced, replaying the moment over and over. The sight of Mav attacking him, desperation in his eyes, haunted him. When he returned, the chief gently lifted Mav’s head, placing the pillow beneath it, while Nacht carefully draped the blanket over his son.

The chief sighed, looking down at Mav with a mix of pity and understanding. “He’s strong, Nacht. Stronger than most. But even the strongest can break under pressure.”

Nacht swallowed hard, his eyes lingering on his son. “I just hope I did the right thing,” he murmured.

The chief gave him a reassuring nod. “You did. Now, let’s focus on what comes next.”

Mav drifted in a deep, dreamless sleep, swallowed by darkness. His body, utterly drained, demanded rest, pulling him into a state of complete unconsciousness. Time seemed to stand still until, slowly, his awareness returned. His eyes fluttered open, and as he tried to sit up, a sharp, searing pain shot through his stomach, forcing him back down.

The pain was intense, a reminder of the desperate situation that had unfolded before he blacked out. He gritted his teeth, waiting for the throbbing to subside. The memories rushed back—the forest, his confrontation with Nacht, the desperation, and finally, the punch that knocked him out. He could almost feel the force of it still, the moment of impact that sent him spiraling into unconsciousness.

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He remembered the look on his father’s face, the mixture of regret and pain that filled his eyes. Guilt gnawed at him, tightening his chest. He had made his own father do something so terrible, and the weight of that realization pressed down on him. How could he have pushed him to that point?

Mav remained seated, his breathing heavy, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness around him. As his vision cleared, he realized he was in his own bed. "Dad must’ve brought me here," he murmured, his voice tinged with lingering guilt. The room was silent, the stillness almost suffocating, but another thought cut through his self-reproach, more urgent and consuming.

“Mom… what’s her condition?” His heart raced as the fear he had managed to suppress came flooding back. The last time he saw her, she was barely holding on.

Ignoring the pain in his stomach, Mav pushed himself off the bed, his legs shaky and weak. He leaned on the wall for support as he made his way to the door. Each step sent a jolt of pain through him, but the thought of his mother spurred him on. As he reached the hallway, he saw a faint light spilling out from under the door of his mother’s room—a small, solitary glow in the otherwise darkened house, like the light at the end of a tunnel.

He quickened his pace, gripping the wall for balance, and finally reached the door. Pushing it open, he saw his father and the village chief inside, their backs to him. The creak of the door caught their attention, and they turned around.

“Mav?” Nacht’s voice was thick with regret and concern as he hurried over, the chief following closely behind.

They reached out to support Mav as he moved closer to where Emily lay, her face sunken, her body frail. Mav’s heart ached at the sight, but the urgency of the situation kept him focused.

“Mav, I’m sorry,” Nacht repeated, his voice trembling. Mav could hear the anguish in his father’s words, and for a moment, the guilt surged back, but he pushed it aside. There was no time for that right now.

“What’s her condition?” Mav asked, his voice tense, almost fearful of the answer.

Nacht’s gaze shifted back to Emily, his expression one of quiet despair. When he spoke, his voice was low, almost a whisper, filled with pain. “Emily… she… she stopped breathing a few seconds ago.”

Mav’s heart dropped. A cold wave of fear washed over him as he hurried to his mother’s side, pressing his ear against her chest. “Please,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “Just… something. Even the faintest sound.”

For a moment, there was nothing. The silence was deafening. Then, he heard it—a faint, slow heartbeat. Relief crashed over him, and he straightened up, urgency replacing the fear that had gripped him moments before.

“Display status,” Mav commanded, and his status screen opened before him. His eyes darted to his mana:

120/120

A huge wave of relief swept through him. For a split second, he wanted to shout for joy, to release the tension that had been building inside him. But he forced himself to stay focused. His mother didn’t have much time.

“Chief, Dad, step back a bit,” he ordered, his voice steady but filled with urgency.

They exchanged puzzled looks but did as he asked, moving back. “What are you doing, Mav?” Nacht asked, his concern clear.

But Mav didn’t hear him. His heart was pounding in his chest, his veins pulsing with the rhythm of his heightened awareness. There was no time to explain. Without another moment’s hesitation, he shouted with a commanding voice that filled the room:

“Dark Blue Miracle!”